I don't mind the counting
The big items that are easy to see
But it's the tiny little buttons
That gets the best of me
I know that taking inventory
Is necessary every now and again
Seeing what you got on the shelf
And what others require for you to bring in
I run a tight ship shape shop
Very aware of what others desire
It may be my building
But you'll never see me playing with fire
No I don't take to snooping
In the business of others
I've got enough to get on with
Taking care of the unmet needs of mothers
...searching for safety
Written by Trudy Schrader on 07-30-2026
Note: Codependency sits on need
“cock burn’s”
my ship has kissed the lips
of the mighty Mississip
to port to abort
my righted lefts
except accepting
tooth’s toothpicked
ship shape
built in a
bottle
of
porto
The Captain had a penny whistle
Which he wore around his neck
And he played it every morning
As the crew danced on the deck.
Sometimes it was a Hornpipe
Sometimes a Palais Glide
As the crew danced fore and aft
And from Port to Starboard side.
Prompt every morning
When the Bosun rang a bell,
And if he was feeling frisky
The Captain danced as well.
Sometimes on sunny mornings
The crew would stand at ease
While the Captain and a subby
Mimed a decorous strip tease.
Rain storm hail or shine
Until twenty minutes passed
When on a given signal
The crew would climb the mast
To set the sails and rigging
And get the ship under way
And so it continued
Every single day.
Two or three times a year
All the ships would meet
And the Captain and his crea
Would dance for the fleet.
It was on the good ship Venus
Which had been a ship of shame
Until the Dancing Captain'
Gave it a better name.
He became the only Admiral to wear
A penny whistle around his neck
And even in his dotage
Would dance around the deck.
Ship shape and Bristol fashion
When she was away at sea.
Oh on the good ship Venus
Such a happy place to be
Ship shape
I wake
Sun rise
Rub eyes
Set sail
Kiss gale
Boat rides
King tides
Big bite
Fish fight
All day
We stay
Reel in
Blue Fin
Clear sky
Gulls cry
June day
My way
Sun set
Feet wet
Reach shore
Back sore
Now dine
White wine
Great times
Wind chimes
Night falls
Sleep calls
Star light
Good night.
Now watch this man. He’ll take a chance!
Will he lead us a merry dance?
His goal, power. His play, quick words.
A minister and o so prime.
But watch out for he may ponder
And change his tack time after time.
Those thorny shoots he does not see.
No quick words come. Not even rhyme.
Now, watch this man. He’ll take a chance!
Will he lead us a merry dance?
He is captain at number ten.
And all ship-shape he runs the show.
He has a team of free wise men,
Who will argue which way to go,
By maybe re-writing the rules.
Hush-hush! The public must not know.
Now, watch this man. He’ll take a chance!
Will he lead us a merry dance?
With him confident at the helm
Britain sets sail to cross a sea,
Where stormy waters soon gather.
Our captain sails to set us free
From regulations of years past,
To now escape the EEC.
We watched this man. He took the chance.
Should we rejoice? Should we now dance?
Aye, Aye Captain
That's what sailors say
When all is ready
To travel on their way
To far off places
And get the ship afloat
When all is in order
On this orderly boat
A boat has to be tidy
It's a huge ship
With a place for everything
Put to stay and not slip
After the preparation
All is looking grand
The first mate calls Aye, Aye, sir
As the ship pulls away from land
It must be exciting
Many adventures to be told
As sailors battle stormy seas
Sickness and cold
Sailors are very hardy
Brave as brave can be
Shore has no appeal for them
They'd rather be at sea
Relatives at the quayside
Waving and feeling sad
It may be a long time
Until they see
Their brother, son or Dad
FIRST MEN TO LAND ON MOON
We were returning from space
To colonise would become a race
Over population is bound to come
Moon or mars would become home for some
Tension was mounting high
I didn’t hear my companion sigh
History was been recorded
Would we survive to be rewarded
Almost a fait accompli
We were hurtling towards the sea
Our mission must not now fail
I nervously adjusted my mask to inhale
First men to land on moon
Reporters would write, very soon
But first the big splash
Let’s not be rash
Neil and I were alert
Politeness was trivial, we were curt
Stand by for countdown, copy me
Minutes later we were in the sea
Men helped us out
Proud of us not doubt
Some could only gape
Astounded we’d arrived ship shape
The people began to cheer
Not having lived our fear
We thought of our future fame
And revelled in it once again!
Pull-ups, push-ups and jumping jacks
Challenge the muscles in the arms and the back
Dead lifts, squats and overhead presses
Can build you up if not performed to excess
Stretching, yoga and meditation
Call for a different kind of concentration
Passive, non-contractile muscular action
Eastern bio-feedback-based satisfaction
Brisk walking or a round of jogging
Loosens those arteries, gets them unclogging
While swimming laps or competitive running
Sure beats lying under a sun-lamp sunning
A program of exercise on a daily basis
Keeps limbs and organs in perfect homeostasis
Think of your body as a finely tuned machine
You'll keep it trim, ship-shape, pure and pristine!
No therapist wanted to do any kind of counseling for B School, which to my home is quite near.
I was frankly bewildered that three of my friends, Susan, Tad, and Sun had told me they would never come back here.
B school looked lovely; the grounds were impeccably beautiful - flowers, wind spinners, and fountains with water ever so clear.
The reception area was colorful, welcoming, pretty even, a tribute to whoever designed it so dear.
I wondered why everyone I had spoken to who had been here hated it so, it was totally unclear.
The dean of students was lovely, smart, engaging, a good listener; a woman who seemed totally dear.
"I would like Tricia Tee take you around, "Dean told me, "So you can see what a ship-shape school we run here.
We had no sooner got to the first locker when a child started to walk past, and I yelled,"Mere!"
My former student looked up, scared, frightened, mesmerized, unable to move, hypnotized by fear.
"That's a demerit for you, Mrs. K, and a demerit for Mere," Tricia said snippily, writing it down in a notebook she had near.
Um...
I think I get it now.
Waving goodbye we embarked onto the huge ship
Obviously not in ship shape because we both slipped
Raging waters made us both feel seasick
Later the dramamine kicked in a little bit
Drama on the high seas who would've guessed
Couple on board turned out to be pirate terrorists
Rounding everyone up and robbing all of us
Ultimately leaving on their accomplices boat in a rush
Irate my husband jumped overboard
Soon a life preserver got him safely moored
Ending our wild cruise by being on the nightly news.
9-26-17
Ship Shape
the ship found his port
at the mouth of the river
and folds of her banks
connie pachecho
8/25/17
SHIP SHAPE
\O/ \O/
0 0
/ \ / \
----------------------------------
///////////////////////////////////
//////////////////////////////////XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
/////////////////////////////////XXXXXX TWO AT THE OARS,XXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX“SEA”ZING THE DAYXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXMARRIAGE WITH ITS CHALLENGESXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXPULLING MEMORIES TOWARD DEEP, TOWARD SHORE. XXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
*** I SPIED MY SAUCY SAILOR GUY IN SHIP SHAPE UNIFORM ***
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXX I FELL IN STRONG. I FELL IN LOVE. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
2/14/2017 VALENTINE’S DAY
I can only presume your neck is in a brace,
Or why else could you not see what is in your wake.
I have a mirror you can borrow so you can see the fish you refused to take,
Now just treats for the sharks.
And what about your quota is that all above board and ship shape,
Or should I arrange a visit for you to see your fishing future,
I know you can look forward even with your brace on.
How about your ethics, are they the ones you started out in life with?
Or have you used undue influence to get a better quota.
If you have time to talk there is a solution,
That will still let our grandchildren's children have fish and chips.
A new kind of net a clever Kiwi has invented
Which lets the wrong sized and unwanted fish swim back out.
You will even notice the fish that you catch,
Will be less bruised and better to eat.
This new net may even save you some maintenance costs,
So you can lower your quota,
For the sake of our grandchildren's children.
?http://www.poetrysoup.com/poets/top_100_poets_most_poems_all_time.aspx
Rattling Others Cages
Suppose what you said, I were to renounce
Would on my person you start to pounce
And again another game begin to play
Which was called, "Trying to Get Own Way."
Actually, accordingly to my latest prediction
You surely will have produced much friction
And projected to end up in pretty poor shape
Without any doubt at all, lack any escape.
So if ship shape is way you want to be
Reality is our perfect American Society
Become educated and others do bother
Who you find related to a Family Father.
Heavens to Betsy Ross and God forbid
Was wondrous things that ancestors did
Part of pages of sages through the ages
Who thoroughly enjoy rattling others cages.
James Thesarious Horn
Retired Veteran and Poet
every day I go my tree
lets the grass grow and not lazy
I kick the cola and vodka to the curb
as not garbage to me
I see every morning
a multitude of sparrows
prancing the grass for seeds
and what is that to tally
ship shape or else crass
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